FAFSA Parent Plus loan denied due to credit freeze - can I reapply after removing it?

Yes, you can absolutely reapply after lifting the security freeze! I had this exact same situation last year. The denial is specifically because of the freeze, not your unfiled taxes (though you should really get those filed ASAP for other reasons). Here's what you need to do: 1. Contact all three credit bureaus to lift the freeze (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) 2. Wait 24-48 hours for the system to update 3. Reapply for the Parent Plus loan on studentaid.gov They'll do another credit check right away when you reapply. In my experience, approval came through within 3 days after lifting my freeze. Just make sure you select the option to have the school notified of your new application status.

THe freeze is DEF the problem!! i had this happen to me too lol. but the good news is u can fix it pretty fast. just unfreeze ur credit and reapply

I work in a financial aid office. The credit freeze is 100% the issue, not your unfiled taxes. Parent Plus loans don't look at tax filing status at all - just your credit history. Lift the freeze at all three bureaus and you can reapply immediately. It's actually a very common issue we see.

I had EXACTLY this issue last semester! I was on hold with Federal Student Aid for hours trying to get answers. Finally I used Claimyr (claimyr.com) to get a callback without the wait. They got me through to an agent in about 20 minutes who confirmed I could reapply right after lifting the freeze. Saved me so much time and stress. They have a video demo of how it works at https://youtu.be/TbC8dZQWYNQ

don't worry about the 2022 taxes thing, PARENT PLUS LOANS DON'T CHECK FOR THAT!!!!! i didn't file my taxes for TWO YEARS (don't judge, i had issues) and still got approved for the Parent Plus. it's ONLY checking your credit history not your tax compliance!!!!!

The system is so broken. I was denied a Parent Plus loan because of a 60-day late payment from FIVE YEARS AGO despite having perfect credit since then. Called FSA and they basically told me "too bad, so sad" and suggested my kid take out private loans with 11% interest. Meanwhile my neighbor who filed bankruptcy 3 years ago somehow got approved??? Make it make sense.

I had this exact problem!! Fixed the credit freeze and got approved like 3 days later! But heads up - even after approval, it took almost 2 weeks for the funds to actually disburse to my son's account. Make sure your daughter talks to the financial aid office about getting a temporary hold on the payment deadline!

my mom had her identity stolen too and put freezes everywhere... when i needed tuition $$ she couldnt figure out how to unfreeze equifax and we had to get private loans instead which SUCKED. make sure u know all ur passwords and account #s for all 3 bureaus!!!!

Just to add another important detail - when you reapply for the Parent Plus loan after lifting the freeze, you'll need to complete a new Master Promissory Note (MPN) as well. The denied application's MPN becomes invalid. This catches many parents by surprise and further delays the process.

Update us when you get this resolved! I'm curious how long the whole process ends up taking for you since many of us have been through similar situations.

I went through this same nightmare last year! The credit freeze is definitely what's blocking you. Here's my timeline to help you plan: Day 1 - called all 3 bureaus to lift freeze (took about 2 hours total), Day 2 - reapplied for Parent Plus on studentaid.gov, Day 4 - got approval email, Day 6 - completed new MPN, Day 12 - funds finally hit my daughter's account. Pro tip: While you're waiting, call your daughter's school bursar office TODAY and explain the situation. Most schools will give you a 2-3 week extension on tuition deadlines for Parent Plus processing delays. They deal with this all the time! Also, lifting the freeze is free at all three bureaus now - they can't charge for it anymore.

Just wanted to add that if you're having trouble reaching the credit bureaus by phone, you can also lift the freeze online at their websites. I found Experian and TransUnion's online portals pretty straightforward, but Equifax's was a bit glitchy for me. You'll need the PIN or password you set up when you originally placed the freeze. If you can't remember it, you'll have to call anyway, but the online option might save you some time on hold. Also, make sure to print or screenshot the confirmation pages showing the freeze was lifted - some people have had issues where the system didn't update properly and they needed proof.

I went through this exact same situation 6 months ago! The credit freeze is 100% what's causing your denial - I had the same "adverse credit history" message even though my credit score was over 750. Here's what worked for me: I lifted the freeze at all three bureaus on a Tuesday morning, waited until Thursday to reapply (just to be safe), and got approved within 48 hours. The whole process from lifting freeze to fund disbursement took about 10 days total. Two things that really helped: 1) When I called my daughter's school, they immediately put a hold on late fees and extended the payment deadline by 3 weeks once I explained the Parent Plus situation, and 2) I kept all the confirmation emails from the credit bureaus showing when I lifted the freezes, which came in handy when the financial aid office needed documentation. Don't stress about the unfiled taxes - Parent Plus loans only care about credit history, not tax compliance. You've got this! The timing will work out fine if you start the process today.

I'm dealing with a similar situation right now with my son's spring semester! My Parent Plus loan got denied last week and I was panicking until I realized I had a credit freeze from when my wallet was stolen in 2020. Reading through all these responses is so helpful - I had no idea this was such a common issue! Quick question for those who've been through this: when you lifted your credit freezes, did you do it permanently or just temporarily? I'm torn between wanting to keep the security vs. potentially needing to access credit for other education expenses down the road. Also, has anyone had success getting the school to waive late fees entirely once they understand it's a federal loan processing delay? Thanks everyone for sharing your experiences - this community is amazing for navigating all these FAFSA nightmares!

This thread has been so incredibly helpful! I'm a financial aid counselor and I see this credit freeze issue at least once a week during application season. Katherine, you're definitely on the right track - the freeze is absolutely what's causing your denial, not the tax situation. One thing I always tell parents: when you call to lift the freeze, ask each bureau to confirm that it's been completely removed from their end before hanging up. Sometimes there can be a delay between when they say it's lifted and when it actually shows up in their system. Also, if you're comfortable with it, I'd recommend lifting the freeze permanently rather than temporarily. You can always refreeze later, but with multiple kids or potential future education expenses, you might find yourself in this same situation again. The schools are usually very accommodating with payment deadline extensions for Parent Plus processing - we literally have a standard form letter for this situation! Don't hesitate to reach out to financial aid if the bursar's office can't help immediately.

I'm so sorry you're dealing with this stress right now! I went through the exact same thing with my daughter two years ago - Parent Plus denial due to a credit freeze I had completely forgotten about after a data breach. The good news is this is totally fixable! Here's what I learned: You can lift the freeze online at all three bureaus (Experian, Equifax, TransUnion) - it's free now and usually processes within a few hours. I'd recommend doing it permanently since you might need credit access for other education expenses. After lifting, wait 24-48 hours then reapply on studentaid.gov. Most importantly, call your daughter's financial aid office TODAY and explain the situation. They deal with Parent Plus delays constantly and will likely extend your payment deadline without any issues. My daughter's school gave us an extra 3 weeks and waived all late fees once I showed them the denial letter and reapplication confirmation. The whole process took about 8 days for me from lifting the freeze to funds hitting the school account. Your unfiled taxes aren't the issue - Parent Plus only looks at credit history. You've got this! Let us know how it goes!